of others.  She is now conducted outside the town, where all the horsemen and footmen, who have arms are assembled.  The escort of the travellers on this occasion added to the effect, as they were all by Boo Khaloom’s order in the field, consisting of sixty mounted Arabs, and when they all charged and fired at the foot of the bride’s camel, Major Denham says, he really felt for the virgin’s situation, but it was thought a great honour, and that, he supposes, consoled her for the fright.  They commenced by skirmishing by twos and fours, and charging in sections at full speed, always firing close under the bride’s jaafa; in this manner they proceeded three times round the town, the scene occasionally relieved by a little interlude of the bridegroom; approaching the camel, which was surrounded by the negresses, who instantly commenced a cry, and drove him away, to the great amusement of the bystanders, exclaiming, "burra!  Burra!" (be off! be off!) mazal shouia, (a little yet.) With discharges of musketry, and the train of horsemen, &c., she is then conveyed to the bridegroom’s house, upon which it is necessary for her to appear greatly surprised, and refuse to dismount; the women scream, and the men shout, and she is at length persuaded to enter, when after receiving a bit of sugar in her mouth, from the bridegroom’s hand, and placing another bit in his, with her own fair fingers, the ceremony is finished, and they are declared man and wife.

They had now to pass the Gibel Assoud, or Black Mountains; the northernmost part of this basaltic chain commences on leaving Sockna.  They halted at Melaghi the place of meeting; immediately at the foot of the mountain is the well of Agutifa, and from hence probably the most imposing view of these heights will be seen.  To the south, the mountain path of Niffdah presents its black, overhanging peaks, the deep chasm round which, the path winds, bearing a most cavern-like appearance; a little to the west, the camel path, called El Nishka, appears scarcely less difficult and precipitous; the more southern crags close in the landscape, while the foreground is occupied by the dingy and barren wadey of Agutifa, with the well immediately overhung by red ridges of limestone and clay; the whole presenting a picture of barrenness not to be perfectly described either by poet or painter.

The first four days of their journey after leaving Agutifa, were all dreariness and misery.  This was the third time that they had passed these deserts, but no familiarity with the scenery at all relieves the sense of wretchedness which the dread barrenness of the place inspires.  They marched from dawn until dark, for the sake of getting over them as soon as possible, and as scarcely sufficient fuel was to be found to boil a little water, a mass of cold tumuta was usually their supper.